MAMA Awards launches Fan Festa, opens Super Fan applications

The annual MAMA Awards will debut a new fan event tied to this year's ceremony, organizer CJ ENM said Friday, as it also opened applications for its annual Super Fan program on Thursday.

The awards ceremony will take place on Nov. 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan.

The newly launched “MAMA Fan Festa” will run online and offline programs and collaborations ahead of the main ceremony. CJ ENM said the event is intended to give fans a more active role in the awards experience beyond watching the performance. Further details have yet to be announced.

Organizer CJ ENM also announced that the applications for the third edition of the MAMA Super Fan program are open through Sept. 6 via K-pop platform Mnet Plus, and fans of any nationality or age can apply. Those selected as Super Fans will help determine nominees for the Fans’ Choice category and will receive an official Super Fan identification card. The program launched in 2024, with some 650,000 fans taking part last year, according to CJ ENM.

“This year’s MAMA Awards will reflect the passion and voices of fans around the world more actively than ever,” a CJ ENM spokesperson said. “Through the first MAMA Fan Festa and the Super Fan program, now in its third year, we hope to create a global K-pop festival together with fans.”

The MAMA Awards began in 1999 under the name Mnet Video Music Awards before rebranding to its current name in 2022. The award show won Best General Entertainment Programme at the 2025 Asian Academy Creative Awards.

Last year's ceremony took place at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Nov. 28 and 29, during which singer G-Dragon won Artist of the Year and boy band Stray Kids took home Album of the Year for “Karma” (2025). Song of the Year went to “APT.” (2024) by Blackpink's Rosé and Bruno Mars.

BY KIM HA-YOON [[email protected]]